Extension table



A. e; VAN HEESAND w. KIRKPATRICK.

.EXTENSION TABLE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1922.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

3 SHEEIS--$HEET VAN HEES AND W. KIRKPATRICK.-

EXTENSION TABLE;

APPLICATION FILED JAN-27, I922.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

' 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m mm A. G. VAN HEES AND W. KIRKPATRICK.

EXTENSDON TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 27, 1922.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented (lot, 31, 1922.

UNlTED STATES ALBERT G. VAN REES AND WILLIAM KIRKPATRICK, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

EXTENSION TABLE.

Application filed January 27, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT if. VAN liens and lViLLIAM. lilrnnrivrnron, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of lVyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Tables; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to extension tables and the primary object of the invention is to provide a table comprising two end sections which may be collapsed or moved together so that they will constitute the entire top, providing a table of relatively small area, but which may be extended to increase the available surface of the table, the extensible and collapsible ends being effective in cansing certain auxiliary leaves or supplemental table top members to automatically move into alignment with the end members to fill up the space between them. The ends also have movement which. will permit the leaves or supplemental top pieces to recede below the levels of the end. members to permit the two ends to be brought together to reduce the size of the table.

The invention differs from ordinary extension tables primarily in the provision of means whereby the end members can be manipulated to bring the leaves or supplemental members into functional positions. thereby eliminating the necessity of fitting in the leaves or supplemental members and also making the extension table self-contained in that the supplemental members to be used are always available whereas with the ordinary extension, table, the leaves are liable to be misplaced or lost.

The invention consists in certain novel parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be specifically described herein.- after, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table, the legs being broken away, with one of the Serial No. 532,200.

leaves or supplemental members in functional position.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the table, on the line 2 2 of Fig.

F 1g. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the table with the two ends collapsed together.

Fig. 4 is a like view showing the supplemental leaves in functional position before the end members are moved into contact therewith.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the table showing the position of one of the leaf elevators functioning to hold the leaf in functional position.

Fig. 6 is a like view showing the leaf in its retracted position with the retractive positi'on of the elevator.

Fig. Tie a detail perspective view of one of the elevators and its actuating arm.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the cam brackets, the cam thereon and the latch cooperating therewith to function the elevator.

Fig. 9 is a disassociated fragmentary view of a portion of the table, showing one of the leaves in retracted position and one of them removed from the table proper to illustrate the guides for guiding the leaf ver tically.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the guide brackets and a fragment of one of the lon- 'itudinal guides on which the end members slide, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the adjusters for adjusting the elevator actuatin; arms.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals'of reference 1 designates a table frame herein illustrated as substantially oval and supported upon legs 2 in the usual manner.

Extending longitudinally of the frame and spaced apart are two end member uides 3 and 4, the guides being supported the ends of the frame by a central transverse bar 5. The transverse bar is supported at its respective ends by longitudinal parallel bars 6 and 7, which support certain of the operating mechanism, as will be explained hereinafter.

Slidably supported upon the frame are two end members 8 and 9., which carry dcpending angle brackets 10 having openings ll through which the guides and lextend. The brackeus it are shown as arranged in pairs, the two sets on each side of the longitudinal center Oil the table and complementary sets for the respective end members being in alignment so that the rods can pro ject through them and that the two end members will be easily guided back and forth in proper functional positions.

The meeting ends of the members 8 and 9 are provided with offset portions 12 and 13 to allow for the reception of supplemental, intermediately disposed, vertically guided leaves or simplemental members 14 and 15, each of which consists of a slat 16 having depending pins or lugs 17 to be received in the holes or recesses 18 in the bars 8 and 7. There a dependin lug or pin 17 at each end or each leaf 14 and 15 and a complementary opening or hole 18 for each lug or pin so that the leaves i l and 15 can move only in a vertical plane.

The leaves are arranged. side by side. with their meeting edges in relatively close con tact and they are arranged so that either one or both may be raised in the plane of the two end sections 8 and 9.

Vi e have provided a novel means for elevating the supplemental members or leaves 14 and 15 when it is desired to increase the size of the table.

The two end members are preferably provided with depending flanges 19 and 20 so that the operators fingers may be engaged behind the flanges to pull the ends longitudinally of the table. There are four sets of elevating mechanisms for the leaves, each set comprising two complete elevating mechanisms for each leaf and each set is inde* pendently operated by its particular co-o-pcrating end member 8 or 9, as the case may be.

Each elevating mechanism includes a depending bracket 21 supported by an end member 8 or 9. Each bracket has fixed to it a lozenge-shaped cam 2.2 and immediately below the cam carried by the bracket :21. is an overbalanced latch member 23 having a finger 24- and a weighted end the finger being adapted to be moved out of contactwith the cam 22 when the end member is moved in one direction and to remain in contact with the cam when the end m mber is moved in an opposite direction, as will be apparent hereinafter It is to be understood that there are four brackets with their cams, as shown in Fig. 8, one near each end of each bar 6 and 7, but each bracket is fastened to the underside of one of the end members 8 and 9.

There are also four co-operating elevating mechanisms, one carried by each end of each bar 6 and 7 so that there will be an elevating mechanism on opposite sides of the trans verse center of each member 14 and 15. Since every elevating mechanism is a counterpart of all the others, it is thought that it is only necessary to describe in detail one of them.

The complementary mechanism which cooperates with the cam and latch shown in 8 is best shown in Fig. 7. It consists of an elevating bar 26, having an inclined slot 27 engaged by a pin 28 on the inner face of one of the bars 6 or 7, the elevating bar 26 having a limit stop projection or pin 29 against which the lower edge of an actuator 30 may abut to limit the downward swing of the actuator bar 30. The actuator bar is pivoted to the elevator bar 26 at 31 and it carries at its free end a pin or projection 82, adapted to ride over the cam 22 when an end member 8 or 9 is moved in one direction and adapted to engagev the edge 33 of the latch 24: when the table end is moved in an opposite direction, all of which will be presently explained.

The pin 28 allows both a swinging and longitudinal movement of the elevator bar 26. the downward swinging movement of the elevator bar being limited by a limit stop pin or projection 34 carried by a bar 6 or 7 but the free end of the elevator bar 26 may move upwardly against the under side of its complementary supplemental, vertically movable leaf or supplemental table member 14 or 15, there being a pivoted contact shoe on the free end of the elevator bar which will be self-seating and which will remain in contact with the under side of the leaf 14 or 15 to be raised irrespective of the swinging movement of the elevator bar 26.

The extensible or outward longitudinal movements of the end members 8 and 9 will be limited by the stops 36 and 37, which are carried by the under side of the end members 8 and 9 and which will come into contact with the ends of the frame 1 when the end members 8 and 9 are pulled apart to the limit of their movement.

If the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 3 with the table collapsed, that is. with the two end members having their inner meeting edges 38 and 39 one against the other. the table will be constricted to its smallest sizev it it desired to increase the available surface of the table, on or both end members and 9 may be pulled out to elevate the two members 14 and Suppose it desired to only put in one leat, For example. 14, the operator will pull out the end 8. carrying with it the two brackets 21, the brackets being toward the pin 32 until the latch member 23 contacts with the pin 32 and swings so as to allow the pin 32 to press itself against the edge 33 of the latch 24-, in doing which. of course, it will overcome the weight 25 and the pin moves under the inclined edge 40 of moved the cam 22. The arm 30, resting upon. the pin 29, and using the pin 28 as a fulcrum, will swing the upper end of the shoe' lo in an upward direction, raising the leaf 14; it being understood, of course, that here are two sets of these for raising the leaf-14, one on each bar 6 and 7.

The leaf 14 will take the position shown in Fig. 4, and the pin 32 will be lying against the portion24 of the latch 23 with the edge 38 of the end member 8 spaced from the edge of the leaf 14. Now, if the operator pushes in the member 8 to bring the edge 38 into contact with the loan. 14, he will impart a slight shifting movement to the elevator bar 26 because the pin 32 will be resting between the latch and the cam 22. This shitting movement is provided "for, however, by the slot 27 so that the shoe still supporting the leaf 14 can move across it a sufficient distance to close the gap 41' (see Fig. 4). Then the leaf 14 will be between the two edges 38 and 39 of the end members 8 and 9 it being remembered that there can only be a vertical movement of e ther of the leaves 14 or 15 on account of the guide pins 17.

If it is desired to utilize both leaves 14 and 15, both end members 8 and 9 will be pulledout, as shown in Fig. 4; the operations of the elevating mechanism being the same as just described and both member 14 and 15 will be in the position shown in F 4 so that when the end members 8 and 9 are slid into contact with the members 14 and 15, an enlarged table will be provided with an apparently unbroken surface.

If it is desired to retract the leaves below the planes of the end members 8 and 9, the two end members can be pulled out so that they will be in the position shown in Fig. 6. The straight edge 41 of the (2111122 will have moved off its pin 32 so that there will be.

nothing to hold the elevator in its elevated position; therefore, the weight of the table leat will be suilicient to permit it to gravitate to the position shown in Fig. 6 with the pin 32 about to engage the upper edge .42 of they cam 22. Then the two leaves are brought together, the pin 32 will ride over the edge 42 and over the edge 43 of the cam. 22 and drop back in'rear of the inclined portion 40, the two end members 8 and 9 then being collapsed together to the position shown in Fig. 8. I

When it is desired to again bring either one or both of thetable leaves or members 14 and into the planes of the members 8 and 9, either end member may be moved out and since the pin 32 of each elevating device is then in the position shown in Fig. 3, it will be observed that the outward move ment of the end member will cause the pin to pass in between the latch and the lower edge 40 of the cam 22 so that in riding down the edge 40, the elevator bar 42 will be tilted to cause the shoe 35 to raise its particular leatand the operation of bringing the end back to the position will be as above described.

ll desired, centering pins 44 may be provided in the inner edg of one of the members 8 or 9, tobe received by complementary openings, as is well understood; the pins, however, constituting no part of our invention. 1

It will. be observed that the stop element 20, illustrated in detail in Fig. 11, is a polygonal element. in actual practice I i it with seven sides, al so. By bringing the various sides under the edges of the members 30 I can vary the throw of the membore 30 and the member 26 so that the shoe 35 will be high enough whenthe elevator operates to lift its particular leaf 14 or 15 on a level with the members 8 and 9, or i)": the elevator raises the leaves 14 and 15 too high, the stop 29/ can be adjusted so that the proper pressure will be presented under the. members 30 to insure a proper elevation of the leaves.

This is a rather important feature because it insures a proper alignment of the upper surfaces of the leaves with respect to the upper surfaces or" the members 8 and 9 irrespective of lost motion or wear which may occur in the operating parts of the table. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the table will be self-contained with the extensible men'ibers to enlarge the available surtace ready to be moved into functional positions by manipulating the end members so that the end members are effective tor operating certain mechanism to introduce and retract additional table top members, the occasion may demand; and thatthe device is simple in construction, easily operated and inexpensive to manui acture.

lVhat we claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is: o 1. An, extension table comprising a supporting. frame, having longitudinal guide rods on each side of the longitudinal center of the trains, sliding tal'ile top members sup ported upon the frame and having longitina] sliding connection with. said rods, amiiliary table-top members normally below the sliding table-top members, elevating means tor the auxiliary tabletop members, and means controlled by the sliding table-top members tor actuating the elevating means. 2. An extension table comprising a sup porting frame, sliding table-top members on the supporting frame, auxiliary tabletop members normally beneath the sliding tabletop members and having vertical movement to fill the space between them, auxiliarytable-top elevating means, each comprising a pivoted lever having an end for contacting with an auxiliary tabletop member to raise it, a cam on a sliding member, an actuating arm, one end of which is pivoted to the lever, the other end of which has a projection adapted to move over the cam when the sliding member is moved in one direction so that its end will drop back of the cam, and a pivoted latch member beneath the cam hav ing a, finger against which the actuating arm may abut, the finger having movement to provide. a space between it and the cam, through which the contacting end of the actuating arm may pass when the sliding member is moved in. one direction, the latch being effective in imparting movement to the actuating armv when the sliding member is moved an opposite direction so as to raise the elevating lever to elevate the auxiliary table-top member, the actuating arm having movement over the cam to cause the lever to, move out of auxiliary table-top elevating position. i

An extension table comprising a sup porting frame, sliding table-top members on the supporting frame, auxiliary-tabletop members normally beneath the sliding tabletop members and having vertical movement to fill the space between them, auxiliary tabletop elevating means, each comprisinga pivoted lever having an end for contacting with an auxiliary table-top member to raise it, a cam on a sliding member, an actuating arm, one end of which is pivoted to the lever, the other end of which has a projection adapted to. move over the cam when. the sliding member is moved in one direction so that its end will drop back of the cam, and a pivoted latch member beneath the cam having a finger against which the actuating arm may abut, the finger having movement to provide a space between it and the cam, through which the contacting end of the actuating arm may pass when the sliding member is moved'in one direction, the latch being effective in imparting movement to the actuating arm when the sliding member is moved in an opposite direction so as to raise the elevatin lever to elevate the auxiliary table-top member, the actuating arm having movement over the cam to cause the lever to move out of auxiliary table-top elevating osition, the elevating lever having a longitudinal slot engaged by a projection in the table frame whereby the lever may have limited longitudinal movement when. moving into functional or non-functional position.

gl. An extension table comprising a supporting frame, sliding table-top members on the frame, each sliding member having depending brackets, lozenge-shaped cams car ried by the brackets, overbalanced latch members pivoted to the brackets and having 1 ,esmova 'ers adapted to, bear against the undersi of the cams, pivoted elevating levers carried by the frame, auxiliary table-top members normally beneath the sliding memers and adapted to be raised by the elevating levers, pivoted arms on the elevating levers having free ends, and pins on the free ends adapted to be engaged by the fingers when the sliding members are moved in one direction so that motion can be imparted to the arms and to the levers to move the levers into elevating position.

An extension table comprising a supporting frame, sliding table-top members on the frame, each sliding member having depending brackets, lozenge-shaped cams carried by the brackets, overbalanced latch members pivoted to the brackets and having adapted to bear against the undersides of the cams, pivoted elevating levers carried by the frame, auxiliary table-top members normally beneath the sliding bers and adapted to be raised by the elevating levers, pivoted arms on the elevating levers having free ends, pins on thefree ends adapted to be engaged by the fingers when the Sliding members are moved in one direction so that motion can be imparted to the arms and to the levers to move the levers into elevating position, and means for causing the free ends of the arms to ride over the top of the cams to fall back of the latches and cams when the sliding members are lnrought together to provide a table of restricted area. i

6. .L-in extensible table comprising a supporting frame, slidable table top end members on the frame having movement toward and away from the transverse center of the frame, vertically movable, intermediate, table-top members comprising leaves normally beneath the end members, elevating means for the leaves comprising pivoted levers having leaf-engaging portions, bars for imparting swinging movement to the levers, movablein response to movement of the end members, and adjustable stop mem bers beneath the bars.

An extensible table comprising a supporting frame, slidable table top end mem here on the frame having movement toward. and away from the transverse centerof the frame, vertically movable, intermediate, table-top members comprising leavesnorg mally beneath the end members, elevating means for the leaves comprising pivoted levers having leaf-engaging portions, bars for-imparting swinging movement to the levers, movable in response to movement of the end members, and eccentrically mounted, polygonal stop members beneath the bars.

8, An extension table comprising a supporting frame, longitudinal guide rods carried by the frame, said rods being located on each side of the longitudinal center top members, and elevating means for the thereof, and Within the side bars of the auxiliary-tabletop members.

frame, sliding table top members supported In testimony whereof We afiix our signa- 10 by the frame, brackets carried by the table tures.

top members and having sliding connection with the guide rods, auxiliary-table-top ALBERT G. VAN HEES. members normally below the sliding table WILLIAM KIRKPATRICK. 

